Schlage's new smart lock lets Amazon into your house
The Connect Smart Deadbolt will sell for $269 as part of the Amazon Key Smart Lock Kit.
Locks are usually meant to keep people out of your house, but Schlage and Amazon are letting people in -- as long as they're dropping off a package for you. Schlage's new Zigbee-certified Connect Smart Deadbolt is the latest smart lock to work with with the Amazon Key service that allows packages to be dropped off inside your home.
The Connect Smart Deadbolt is about what you'd expect a smart lock to be. It has a big keypad on the front that lets you set up a PIN or temporary codes for guests and a standard deadbolt lock in case technology fails you. The new lock looks basically identical to Schlage's previous version of the Connect Smart Deadbolt that was designed to be compatible with z-wave enabled smart home devices and security systems.
What's new here is Zigbee certification -- a status that signifies the lock meets the specifications for close proximity wireless communications. It's one of many standards that smart home devices might use and happens to be the one that allows the Connect Smart Deadbolt to work with Amazon Key. When paired with the Amazon Cloud Cam, users will be able to lock their door via the Amazon Key app. They'll get real-time notifications of any activity, an always-on live stream and recorded clips of deliveries made or guests arriving. This adds to existing compatibility Schlage locks have with Amazon Alexa.
The Zigbee-certified model of Schlage's Connect Smart Deadbolt sells on its own for $199 or comes in a package deal as part of Amazon Key Smart Lock Kit. The package deal includes an Amazon Cloud Cam and is priced at $269.
